Universal joints of the standard design consist of two fork parts and a spider element with the link pins which engage with joint eyelets of the fork arms. A simplified design of a universal joint has been known from West German Patent Specification No. 32,678 and U.S. Pat. Specification No. 3,089,232. Here, the coupling members for the shaft or linkage parts to be joined are cast in one piece at the ends of the parts, and the casting mold also fixes the parts to be cast around and forms a joint body. A comparable design is also shown from West German Patent Specification No. 37,20,852, in which a joint body with a bearing journal molded in one piece is formed by filling the casting mold with a self-curing plastic.
In every known case, the end parts of the Cardan shaft and of the linkage that are to be joined by the joint have different designs and are connected to one another by at least one other component.